First Solstice

                On a bright sunny day, with a warm breeze moving over an ancient civilization. A figure, with a brown cloak with gold details, with hoods that covered their faces, light brown gloves, and black boots, was in a room surrounded with gold treasures, and with an extremely large mirror that was covered with stone curtains. The cloaked man in the room was just staring at the closed mirror, letting his mind wandered; until another cloaked man, but with silver details instead of gold, walked into the room.

                “So Fre’dernar,” asked the cloaked man with silver details, “shall we inspect the shell and lamp before the moon rises?”

                The cloaked man in gold, named Fre’dernar, looked right at him and responded, “Sorry, I guess my mind wandered a bit, O’jin”

                “Have no fear, I know you are not fond of these procedors.”

                “It’s not that which I worry about,” as Fre’dernar started leaving.

                “And what is that exactly?” O’jin asked as he was keeping up with him.

                “Hmm. I’m surprised you’ve forgotten already.”

                “My mistake, it seems this year was busier than the last.”

                “Tis fine, I’ll remind you later.”

                Once they exited the temple, they headed to the shopping district of this civilization. Most of the buildings were made of stone and sticks, the roads only made of dirt with the majority of the population are in rags and with nothing on their feet. The two cloaked men entered a pottery shop and waited for the owner to arrive.

                The owner came out after a while, bowing to them, as the cloaked men bowed back.

                “Greetings Men of the Goddess’s eyes… I believe that’s what you guys are called?” said the owner, “I’m guessing you are here to see the shell?”

                “Yes,” responded Fre’dernar, “May we see it?”

                “Certainty, anything to help please the goddess of wishes. Please, follow me.” As the owner escorted them to his private working area. Once they entered, they saw the top part of a woman’s body, but made of clay. The closer the got to it, the more it looked like a wish maker’s body.

                Fre’dernar started inspecting the clay shell, too see if everything is in order.

                “…..hhhhmmmm….. fine craftsmanship….. almost looks like a real body.”

                “Well, I do strive to make the best one.”

                Fre’dernar the checked the opened part of the shell, “…it appears you even got the spell glyphs in there, that is not such an easy task.”

                “Decades of experience always helps. …so, shall I leave you two to deliver it back to your temple?”

                “You may.”

                “Alright,” as the owner bowed to them, “May the goddess be pleased with my contribution.” Then he leaves and goes to the counter to see if he has any other customers.

                Fre’dernar was gazing at the body, he seemed to be in his own thoughts yet again.

                “…hello? Joined the spirits again Fre’dernar?” asked O’jin, which Fre’dernar responded by looking at him. “Well, looks like you’ve returned to us,” he said chuckling a little.

                “…sorry, I’m just worried about the woman for tonight.”

                “….Oh! Right! You do not like hearing them scream in agony.”

                “I know what I’m doing is the right thing for these people… but, I have this feeling that sacrificing a woman once a year to please the Goddess feels a tad… wrong.”

                “…are you going to betray your oath now?”

                “Even if I did, I would be dead in an instant betraying the Goddess’s words”

                “Then help me get this to the temple, we must prepare for tonight,” as O’jin grabs one of the ends.

                “..r….right,” as Fre’dernar grabbed another end and the both headed back to the temple. As the headed back, the people of the civilization had different reactions to it. Some looked at it as weird, some looked at it with a smile and hoping for the Goddess’s gift, others were scared, as if the rumors are true, then they know not only will the girl feel extreme pain, she would also have her life radically changed.

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                Once a full moon was high in the sky, and most of the people were tucked in their beds, Fer’dernar, O’jin, and a cloaked teenager with black details were around the woman, who was laying on a stone table with her eyes closed. Fer’dernar was hold a metal scoping device, almost looking like one a blacksmith would use, hesitating a bit.

                “Have no fear Fer’dernar,” said O’jin, “I gave her some poppy milk, she’s out cold.”

                Fre’dernar nods and goes next to the woman.

                “Now, pay attention child,” said O’jin, who was right next to the cloaked teenager with the black details.

                “Y….yes sir,” he replied back.

                Fre’dernar was about to scope something from the woman’s body, but stopped and started saying an oath. “Goddess of the starry night and the grantor of fortunes, here my words. We offer you the woman we have chosen to become a wish granter, and a servant to your cause. May your wise judgment not only bring us wisdom, but also to grant us a bountiful time full of mercy and happiness, til the next solstice has past.” He then proceeded to scope the woman’s heart out of the body and contain them in the sphere like scopes, the markings glowing and keeping the heart from beating.

                As they carried the heart deeper and deeper in the temple, other cloaked figures were not only guarding the path behind the 3, but were also making sure and checking 9 times that everything was in order. They 3 made their way down spiraling stair cases, closed off water pits, and even the other wish makers that swore to guard the deepest section of this holy temple.

                The three then made it to a golden room, where the pottery was laying on a gold table. Fre’dernar has done this many times and has only screwed up 4 times, he carefully made sure to center the heart with the markings of the pottery’s insides, making sure not to scratched it at all. Once the heart was in the right place, he let it out of the scope and then a bright light started illuminating in the room. Each wish makers had their own colors attached to the bright light, this one had a red light to it. The woman’s body back on the stone table turned into red star dust and started flowing down to where the light was. Soon, the light faded and replaced was a beautiful woman, with a red tail, brunette hair with a long ponytail, red bra with gold details, and her tail connecting to a bottle.

                O’jin looked at the bottle with a bit of disgust, “And how come you got this… simple bottle instead of an elegant one?”

                “My apologies,” a cloaked figure with blue details on his robe responded, “the one in charged of acquiring the wish maker’s vessel fell deathly ill and we rushed to acquire the bottle before the shops closed.”

                “That’s fine,” said Fre’dernar, “the deed is done. Now,” as he walked to the new wish maker, “what is your name?”

                The wish maker was having a hard time gathering words, has her mind was filtering the things from her past life, basic intelligence, her new life, and those that the goddess are giving her. “A….A…..Asra….”

                “Well, Asra, we need you to meet someone special,” as he picked up her vessel and took her to the room with the large mirror in it.

                Once there, two other cloaked figures were waiting. Once Fre’dernar nodded to them, one of the figures went and locked the door, while the other started winding a wheel, which slowly took the Stone curtains away. The mirror was showing a glimpse into the deepest parts of space itself. Soon, a woman who was more beautiful than any women combined, was in the mirror, looking down at the now kneeling men in the room.

                “Hello Goddess of the starry night, I bring you a new wish maker to aid you. Is she right for your noble cause?” asked Fre’dernar, showing her Asra.

                The goddess pondered for about 15 minutes, looking at Asra’s Past, Present, and Future (as far as she could that is), and then spoke in a voice that could ease just about anything. “I’ve have studied her past, present, and future… and I have come to the conclusion, that… she will be a proper wish maker to help in my quest, I also for see another solstice of peace.”

                “Thank you so much Goddess, we appreciate for all that you have done for us for all these decades,” Fre’dernar replied to her, as she disappeared and the stone curtains does over the mirror yet again. The door slowly opens again and then Fre’dernar starts taking Asra to ether join the other genies, or to be given out to the rest of the world.